THE LAST SHOT
(A short story)
She ran through the thick forest clearing every bush or leaves that came her way. She was breathing heavily amd she felt like she could just die that moment because she has never ran that fast in her entire life. 'What could even make her run fast ?', her father is the governor of the state and before he became the govenor, he was already rich which means she was born into wealth and she never knew poverty.
She heard footsteps closing in on her and she knew she had to run faster.It was in the day time and she could see very well so it was easier to run withlut falling but it seemed she forgot to look at the ground and before she knew it, she was already on the ground. Her leg had caught a twig. She knew that was it, she gave up, she couldn't run, she could see the hefty guys approaching her with guns.
'You, you think you can run abi?', one of them asked. He had no strand of hair on his head but his jaw was full of beard. From the way his mouth looked, she knew he smoked because it was very black. Another one lifted her up without caring if she was a woman.
They were four in number, three of them looked very rough but one looked quiet. He just escorted the other ones without saying anything. She could see he didn't like the way they were handling her ' but why couldn't he say anything?' ,'why couldn't he beg for her?'. They reached where their camp was in the bush. It had different tents made out of woods. She was tied and kept under one of the tents with her mouth plastered.
It was getting dark. Night came sooner but she couldn't sleep. She started to remember how she got there. She is just 24 and her name is Kemi. Her father is in his third year in office. She had just graduated from a university in England and decided to come and spend sometime with her family while she applied for her masters. Her future seemed bright and she never knew she could be in a bush with her mouth plastered. She could hear the snoring of the guys. They had made her speak to her father yesterday asking him to call when he was ready to pay the ransome.
She was returning from a freinds place alone driving one of her father's car. She could remember her father begging her to allow a body guard follow her but she wanted to be alone and not with one fierce looking guy following her about. She had told her father she wouldn't be long and promised him she would return safely but she has broken that promise and she was in 'God knows where'.
She could still remember how they double crossed her on the road and pushed her into a waiting vehicle. Took her into a bush and was lucky (or so she thought) to escape. She had ran into the bush. She could remember how they fired shots into the air but that didn't stop her until a twig caught her leg. She never knew when she slept off
'Here is food for you' ,a voice said waking her up.
She slowly raised up her head to look at the guy infront of her. He had a calm face and was very handsome. She wondered what led him into kidnapping. She slowly shook her bead meaning she doesn't want. She knew she was hungry but she was afraid to eat. He removed the plaster from her mouth gently and loosened her. She was surprised at the gesture.
'Please just eat something', he begged. His voice was calm and not harsh like the other guys.
'But why was he saying please,his voice was supposed to be harsh and thick like the other guys' he thought 'How did he even get himself into this. Maybe because he needed money badly for his mother. The landlord had given them a quit notice the day before. He knew what he was doing was risky but he was desperate.
'Did you just say please?' She asked . She is beautiful and he felt bad seeing her tied but what could he do. He just needed the money and he would never come back to kidnapping.
'Just eat ' he said trying to sound harsh but he couldn't.
' no I am not eating ,just get me out of here'
'I cant , just eat so you wouldn't die'
' like you care'
He was silent and left the food to go and sit at the other side of the tent. She stared at the food before her. She opened it, it was jollof rice with a piece of meat and bottle water placed beside it.
' Where are the other guys?', she asked after she finished eating
' they went out, they would soon be back' he calmly replied
'Whats your name ?'
He pretended like he didn't hear
' whats your name?'she asked again
'John'
'You look calm,you say please and your voice is nice. You dont look look like a kidnapper. What brought you into it?'
'Please no questions'
'There you go again saying please'
He didnt reply
'You know, you look like an educated person.'
'Yes i am'
Why was he even replying her.He shouldn't reply but he couldn't stop himself
'Why dont you have a job?'
'Because I haven't gotten one:
'Is that what led you into this?'
He was quiet
'I could help you'
' help me for what?'
'Get a job'
That was true, why didnt he think of that.
'Just release me, we could run away together and I promise you that you will get a job'.
'Maybe she is trying to use me'
'But she sounded serious'
'But what if the guys caught them and they killed him'
He couldn't think straight so he decided to take a walk. He stood up to tie her again and he walked into the bush.
She was falling for him and she knew it. But he was a kidnapper , no not a kidnapper, just a victim of circumstance.
He was falling for her.He could feel it. Her voice is nice. She is freindly and very beautiful. A part of him wanted to release her but another part feared the consequences. He could still remember what they told him before they left 'she escapes, you die'..
He went back to where she was and kissed her.He just couldnt get his mind off those lips. He expected her to push him away but she kiseed him back.He loosened her. As they were about to move, they heard gunshots .They knew the police has arrived. The kidnappers exchanged gunshots with the police but the police outnumbered them and they all died.
Suddenly she heard one last shot. She looked at every direction to see who was shot until she saw John falling .She could see pain in his eyes as blood poured out freely from the back of his head.
'Why did you kill him?' She cried
'I said why did you kill him'
' he is a good guy'
'You shouldn't have killed him'
The police tried to hold her back but she broke herself free trying to see what she could do to revive him.He said his last words
' you are beautiful'
Gave her a letter with his mom address written on it. 'Help her' and he gave up the ghost
'Just shoot me , please just shoot me' she begged the police men
She couldn't stop her tears. They just poured out freely.
She was led into a waiting police van
THE END She cried
